Development of the porcelain industry in Japan was largely benefited from the
political turmoil at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in China. In its earliest
period between 1610 and 1650, Imari porcelain was decorated only in under glazed
blue which is known as shoki-Imari. Shoki-Imari means early Imari and it was simple
and rather primitive at beginning. In the 1640's, colors were applied by using
enameling methods brought from China. This hand colored porcelain is known as
iroe or akae which literally means a picture with colors. Around this period, China
was in the midst of the civil war and their porcelain kilns were destroyed. The Dutch
East India Company, an exporter of the Chinese porcelain to Europe, needed to fill
their orders from elsewhere : in 1659, the Arita kilns in Hizen received a large order
from the company. In the 1670's, Kakiemon style was developed by the Arita potters
especially for the export trade, which is characterized by the elegant colored
decoration of animals & people and, also kacho-zu (a painting of birds and flowers in
asymmetrical form). The body of Kakiemon porcelain is known as nigoshide
resembling translucent milky white water after rice is washed. In the 1690's, this
Kakiemon style was soon replaced by the kinrande style of more dense decoration in
sections with the colors of red, gold, blue & others : a word, kinrande derives from a
luxurious silk garment woven or embroidered in gold threads. This kinrande style is
also known as nishikide or somenishiki in the Japanese market : "nishikide" means
"in the style of the colorful weaving " and somenishiki means nishikide with the added
blue sometsuke decoration. While the export of the kinrande porcelain brought
Imari's fame and success, Japan's domestic market of porcelain wares also started
to grow, stimulated by the bubbling economy and flouring culture in the cities
surrounding the major sea ports where newly rich merchants found means of
spending their wealth on their luxuries : beautifully decorated porcelain wares were
shipped out of the Imari port to Kyoto, Osaka and Edo. In the Genroku period
(1688-1703), Imari porcelain had reached to its peak of quality and prosperity.
Most of the Imari products exported in the early Edo period was produced in the
province of Nabeshima Han : a "han" in Japanese stands for a feudal domain ruled
by the lord. To protect the secret methods of making porcelain products, Nabeshima
Han regulated the numbers of the potters and painters in each kiln and studio, and
also they divided the process into the separate stages and each individual process
was done by the different work place or shop to prevent one person or one family to
know the whole process of its making. Especially, hanyo which means an exclusive
kiln owned by the lord was guarded under absolute secrecy. Hanyo owned by the
Nabeshima han is known as the Nabeshima porcelain which is famous for its
extraordinary quality and beauty crafted meticulously. Other hanyo famous of its
superb quality is the Hirado porcelain which was made in the Mikawachi kilns in
Hirado Han.
In the 1680's, when China started to recover from the destruction of the civil war, the
new emperor, Kangxi (1654-1722) was able to rebuild the porcelain kilns and re-start
the export trade once again. This, in return, caused the significant decline in
Japanese export trade. And, also, the strict export regulation known as sakoku of the
Tokugawa government started to take charge in Japan. The export business had
become risky and limited. Under these circumstances, in the 18th century, the
domestic market became the main focus of their trade. Variety of the dishes in many
sizes and shapes were introduced to the market, and also, inexpensive everyday
types of ware were sent to the food vendors and the homes of the lower common
class of people throughout Japan. There were more porcelain kilns started in the
other parts of Kyushu outside of Hizen such as the Hasami kiln in Omura Han which
produced the low cost, run-of-the-mill type dishes in quantity.
In the later 18th century, when a plenty of porcelain products were circulated in the
Japanese market, the pottery makers outside of Kyushu felt urgent needs to learn the
methods of making porcelain to catch up with the newer trend. Before too long, they
too started to produce the beautiful porcelain wares in Seto, Kaga, Kyoto & other
places. The porcelain which used to be the objects of rarity and luxury, strictly
forbidden to the commoners of the Edo society rapidly flooded into the everyday life
of all classes in Japan. In other words, the privilege which they held so many years in
Hizen had ended.
Somenishiki
political turmoil at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in China. In its earliest
period between 1610 and 1650, Imari porcelain was decorated only in under glazed
blue which is known as shoki-Imari. Shoki-Imari means early Imari and it was simple
and rather primitive at beginning. In the 1640's, colors were applied by using
enameling methods brought from China. This hand colored porcelain is known as
iroe or akae which literally means a picture with colors. Around this period, China
was in the midst of the civil war and their porcelain kilns were destroyed. The Dutch
East India Company, an exporter of the Chinese porcelain to Europe, needed to fill
their orders from elsewhere : in 1659, the Arita kilns in Hizen received a large order
from the company. In the 1670's, Kakiemon style was developed by the Arita potters
especially for the export trade, which is characterized by the elegant colored
decoration of animals & people and, also kacho-zu (a painting of birds and flowers in
asymmetrical form). The body of Kakiemon porcelain is known as nigoshide
resembling translucent milky white water after rice is washed. In the 1690's, this
Kakiemon style was soon replaced by the kinrande style of more dense decoration in
sections with the colors of red, gold, blue & others : a word, kinrande derives from a
luxurious silk garment woven or embroidered in gold threads. This kinrande style is
also known as nishikide or somenishiki in the Japanese market : "nishikide" means
"in the style of the colorful weaving " and somenishiki means nishikide with the added
blue sometsuke decoration. While the export of the kinrande porcelain brought
Imari's fame and success, Japan's domestic market of porcelain wares also started
to grow, stimulated by the bubbling economy and flouring culture in the cities
surrounding the major sea ports where newly rich merchants found means of
spending their wealth on their luxuries : beautifully decorated porcelain wares were
shipped out of the Imari port to Kyoto, Osaka and Edo. In the Genroku period
(1688-1703), Imari porcelain had reached to its peak of quality and prosperity.
Most of the Imari products exported in the early Edo period was produced in the
province of Nabeshima Han : a "han" in Japanese stands for a feudal domain ruled
by the lord. To protect the secret methods of making porcelain products, Nabeshima
Han regulated the numbers of the potters and painters in each kiln and studio, and
also they divided the process into the separate stages and each individual process
was done by the different work place or shop to prevent one person or one family to
know the whole process of its making. Especially, hanyo which means an exclusive
kiln owned by the lord was guarded under absolute secrecy. Hanyo owned by the
Nabeshima han is known as the Nabeshima porcelain which is famous for its
extraordinary quality and beauty crafted meticulously. Other hanyo famous of its
superb quality is the Hirado porcelain which was made in the Mikawachi kilns in
Hirado Han.
In the 1680's, when China started to recover from the destruction of the civil war, the
new emperor, Kangxi (1654-1722) was able to rebuild the porcelain kilns and re-start
the export trade once again. This, in return, caused the significant decline in
Japanese export trade. And, also, the strict export regulation known as sakoku of the
Tokugawa government started to take charge in Japan. The export business had
become risky and limited. Under these circumstances, in the 18th century, the
domestic market became the main focus of their trade. Variety of the dishes in many
sizes and shapes were introduced to the market, and also, inexpensive everyday
types of ware were sent to the food vendors and the homes of the lower common
class of people throughout Japan. There were more porcelain kilns started in the
other parts of Kyushu outside of Hizen such as the Hasami kiln in Omura Han which
produced the low cost, run-of-the-mill type dishes in quantity.
In the later 18th century, when a plenty of porcelain products were circulated in the
Japanese market, the pottery makers outside of Kyushu felt urgent needs to learn the
methods of making porcelain to catch up with the newer trend. Before too long, they
too started to produce the beautiful porcelain wares in Seto, Kaga, Kyoto & other
places. The porcelain which used to be the objects of rarity and luxury, strictly
forbidden to the commoners of the Edo society rapidly flooded into the everyday life
of all classes in Japan. In other words, the privilege which they held so many years in
Hizen had ended.
Somenishiki
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